Scout.com Chiefs Report

Scout.com Staff

10/31/2006

The Chiefs offense is back. The 499 offensive yards against Seattle, which followed a 355-yard day the previous week, are evidence the adjustment period that came with a new head coach, new offensive coordinator and new quarterback is ending.

"That's what happens when you get everybody together," running back
Larry Johnson said. "If you get all those weapons together at the same time, we can be unstoppable."

Specifically, the weapons are Johnson (39 carries, 155 yards), tight end Tony Gonzalez (six receptions, 116 yards) and Eddie Kennison (six receptions, 138 yards). And it appears the Chiefs are finally figuring out how to use them all effectively. Pounding Johnson has opened up the play-action, in which tight ends tend to thrive and Damon Huard looks especially comfortable throwing downfield.

Huard completed passes of 51 yards (Johnson) and 37 yards (Gonzalez) Sunday, which followed a 38-yard Johnson run early in the game.

Working with a lead, the Chiefs ran 53 times and, unlike some previous weeks, made first downs doing it. The carousel at left tackle has stopped on Jordan Black and, regardless of Black's skill level, coach Herm Edwards has said continuity along the line the past four weeks has improved the running game.

Now, Edwards said, the Chiefs need to quit giving away points.

"We've got a lot of things to clean up, but if we can play offense like that and not turn the ball over and give them some easy field position, we have a chance to be a very good football team in the second half."

NOTES, QUOTES

--QB Damon Huard continues his out-of-body experience with a
312-yard day that produced a 124.1 passer rating. Huard, who is 4-2 as a starter this year, has a 121.8 rating at home this season. In three starts at Arrowhead, he is 50-for-75 for 752 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.

Though Edwards was firm in his stance that Trent Green is the starting quarterback whenever he's healthy, he said Huard is putting pressure on Green.

"I can't say enough about Damon Huard," Edwards said. "If (Green) is stumbling and not playing very well, yeah, I'll put Damon in. But I don't think I'll have to do that."

--The Chiefs went almost exclusively without a fullback for the first quarter of Sunday's game, choosing to use TE Jason Dunn, a blocking specialist, instead of FB Kris Wilson on most formations. Later, the Chiefs mixed Wilson in as a fullback and hit him on a key fourth-down conversion.

PLAYER NOTES

--RB Larry Johnson, who had a franchise-record 39 rushes, had his longest carry of the season Sunday with a 38-yarder in the first half.

His previous high was 28. With 155 yards, Johnson went from 11th in the NFL in rushing to third.

On fourth-and-one, Wilson took a short out pass 17 yards to set up a Larry Johnson touchdown.

--RB Michael Bennett had his best day as a Chief on Sunday with 10 carries for 38 yards. Bennett's previous best had been a six-carry, 19-yard outing at Denver.

--DE Tamba Hali was having the quietest day of his rookie season (one tackle) until he deflected a pass when Seattle was attempting to drive for the tying touchdown. DE Jared Allen intercepted the deflection, though Deion Branch caught him from behind and stripped it to regain possession for Seattle.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
REPORT CARD VS. SEAHAWKS

PASSING OFFENSE: A-plus -- QB Damon Huard had a career day with 312 passing yards, and he came through in the clutch with a 51-yard strike to Eddie Kennison late in the fourth quarter that immediately answered Seattle's go-ahead score.

RUSHING OFFENSE: A -- Fifty-three carries for 191 yards will win a lot of games. Larry Johnson's franchise-record 39 carries will, too. The only downer was that it took 39 runs to get 155 yards, an acceptable, though not spectacular 4.0-yard average.

PASS DEFENSE: B -- Ty Law's bite-and-slip notwithstanding, the Chiefs were about as good as expected against the pass. Patrick Surtain intercepted a pass, and the Kansas City pass rush had Seneca Wallace throwing over and behind open receivers.

RUSH DEFENSE: A -- The Chiefs allowed a season-low 47 ground yards and weren't even burned by the speedy Wallace, who made just one significant run, a 12-yard burst for a first down on the first play of a TD drive.

SPECIAL TEAMS: F -- Any time you attempt a field goal and the other team gets a touchdown out of it, you deserve an F. Plus, Lawrence Tynes missed a 50-yard attempt.

COACHING: A -- The Oct. 22 win over San Diego was the game offensive coordinator Mike Solari appeared to have made the leap. This week, he proved it wasn't a fluke. The Chiefs effectively utilized all their playmakers, going to Johnson 41 times, Gonzalez for six big catches and Kennison for the big play. Now, if they could just teach Jared Allen to go down after an interception instead of trying to score.